Visa On Arrival to Be Reduced to 28 Days?

"Bisnis Indonesia" Reports that Shorter Tourist Visa Period Now Under Consideration.

(7/25/2001) The Wednesday, July 25, edition of the Indonesian language Bisnis Indonesia carried a front page story that discussions are now underway that, if successful, could reduce the 60 day visa on arrival granted to the nationals of 48 countries to just 28 days.

The Director General of Immigration, Mr. Imam Santoso, reported that the change in the validity period of the visa is now in discussion with the various government departments concerned under the coordination of the office for the Coordinating Minister for Politics and Public Order (Menko Polsoskam). He went on to emphasize that "because the new policy cuts across many sectors, the Government must be very careful".

The proposed change would reduce the 60 days visa on arrival to 28 days. The proposed changes would also address a seeming inconsistency between a Presidential Decree of 1983 removing the requirement for a visa for most tourist visitors to Indonesia and a law passed in 1992 that stipulates every visitor to Indonesia must hold a visa.

In a related move, all foreign residents of Indonesia are obliged to re-register themselves with local immigration offices.

It is not clear how the most recent announcement meshes with the instructions of Indonesia's newly appointed President, Megawati Sukarnoputri, who has instructed the "decommissioned" members of the former cabinet to refrain from making major policy changes until her new cabinet team is in place.